New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-04-03
JERUSALEM PALMS FOR PALM SUNDAY.
THE GROWTH OF PECULIAR INDUsTRY-How IT


To-day being Palm Sunday there will be extra cere
monies addition to the usual services in all the Roman
Catholic churches in the Archdiocese. The palm will be
blessed and after the members Of the different con-
gregations will be permitted 10 take home little sprg OF
the sacred plant commemorative OF the time when the
Jews went forth meet our Lord with palms waving In
their hands" Until twelve years ago no such thing as
real palm Or it better known, Jerusalem PALM was
I'm In any OF the churches here. sprigs OF stunted
spruce hemlock and cedar the best that could
be done In the way OF imitation, and
as these had been in from time mmemorial there
was not only no thought OF making any change. bat
Catholics bad begun TO look upon them the article.
In 1875 however Thomas ID. Eagan. ONO AZ Barclay.
st.. attended high mass in the Catholic Cathedral at
Charleston and surprised to during the Gospel
and other portions OF the service what seemed 10 him
Jerusalem again. for the heads OF the
cation a waving field Of magnificent palmthe real
palm. which he did not think obiainabe In TIL,
country on inquiry he learned that the palms in
groves OIL tue sandy soil and islands off the coast and
also IN parts OF Florida II struck him at that
II the palms coula he brought to NewYork every year
deficiency would be filed and a great advance made
toward perfection in the celebration OF Palm
Sunday. The difficulty in getting tho
plant here for although the blade and hbere strong
they delicate thing to handle for safe shipment to
long distances. Besides the palm liable to rot and
when he made the first venture In importing
tualy did until aer8 good deal of thought he worked
out compound which does he work OF preservation
thoroughly. The first shipment four thousand
branches. and hundred branches will supply
thousand persons with palms this sufficient for for
~ thousand The branches vary from three TO five feet
IN height, and when spread out look Ike
fan with delicate blending OF color
consisting Of dark green, which fades
away 1t approaches the stem and is pale
cream color in the body OF the stalk They capable
OF being fashioned and plated into all OF beautiful
designs. This done with those sprays that decorate
the affairs to-day.
People were slow in ordering the palm at first few
years Nh Egan said he supplied only ten churches.
there IS not diocese In the Cned-States that hc
does not supply. and he supplies many III Canada, too
OF tn Protestant Episcopal churches, e>Iec
ally those who the rtualstic IN form and
mOny receive supplies OF palms ami decorate their
churches the festival The result Is that in churches
I'm o the cities aud towns OF the Union this " olive
branch OF peace Is displayed In abundance, and tho
wearing OF in hats and DuttOnhoes has become. viii
become. general the wearing
OF the green" St Patrick's Day. This palm
said be OF the family OF the palm OF
Jerusalem and exactly similar 10 tie palms used IN 81
Peters at Rome. Besides Its general adoption III the
churches. IL also wrought into artistic souvenirs which
help private affairs in the homes Of the more
wealthy Catholics. Mr.. Egan he is tie only man IN
the United states in the business. 1ne Orders are re-
Ceiyed and attended TO the saturday before Palm
sunday, and after that the trade l. over fol another